The invention relates generally to fixtures and methods for repairing components of motor vehicle axles and more specifically to a fixture and method for replacing brake spiders on axles of heavy duty motor vehicles such as trucks and trailers.
Long haul and cross-country tractors and trailers readily log tens of thousands of miles a year. Given such arduous service, it is understandable that the mechanical components of the trailer such as the tires, wheel bearings and brake assemblies are subject to wear and failure. Wheel bearing and brake failures tend to be the result of extended use although brake failures may also result from a relatively small number of incidents wherein the brakes have overheated and the brake spiders have warped or cracked. The spider is a generally oblong metal plate which is secured transversely near the terminus of the axle and to which the brake components are secured. Once the spider becomes damaged, the brake shoes or other components will no longer be held in their correct positions, braking may be compromised and the brake drums will eventually be damaged. The heretofore accepted solution, when a brake spider was damaged, was to replace the entire axle which was a costly and time consuming approach. The present invention relates to a brake spider fixture and method of replacing a damaged brake spider which avoids the expense and time of axle replacement.